Social Enterprise
Lending in the Shadow of Colonialism
Financial program to help microenterprises in Tanzania fails to take historical context into account.
Tag: Small And Medium Enterprises
Business
The Dawn of Responsible Finance
Since the Great Recession, leaders in finance and investing have aimed to make their industries more equitable, sustainable, and socially productive. Has the fight for financial reform found its moment amid the economic crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic? A Case Study in the Summer 2020 issue.
Food
Building Investor Appetite for Nutritious Food
Increasing access to quality food worldwide requires money from investors for food-related enterprises. Blended finance can help boost their risk tolerance. A Viewpoint from the Summer 2020 issue.
Water & Sanitation
Flushing Taboo
The biggest obstacle to eradicating India’s sanitation problem is a social tradition based in its caste system. A Field Report from the Spring 2020 issue.
Scaling
Big Enough. Simple Enough. Cheap Enough.
Daunting social problems need scalable solutions. Here’s how to know if you’ve got one.
Civic Engagement
Eyes Upon the Street
Rebuilding local news coverage is part of a civic-repair program we must pursue to restore the democratic promise of our cities and of our country. A Feature from the Winter 2020 issue.
Philanthropy & Funding
Using Donor-Advised Funds to Invest in Early-Stage Entrepreneurs
Why and how donors should use donor-advised funds to invest in innovation toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Impact Investing
To Augment Tech’s Transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa, Impact Investors Should Focus on the Startup Ecosystem
Three recommendations on how impact investors can foster more sustainable changes in Sub-Saharan Africa and its tech sectors by focusing less on "sexy" individual startups and more on universities, hubs, and research and development institutions.
Civic Engagement
National Service Journalism
Journalism corps program Report for America pairs working journalists with resource-strapped local news organizations for a yearlong employment contract. A What's Next article from the Fall 2019 issue.
Philanthropy & Funding
Kiva Reinvents Itself
Kiva’s new strategy extends far beyond the organization’s original mission and legacy as a crowdfunding platform for microfinance. Can it succeed and still retain its original spirit? A Case Study from the Fall 2019 issue.